There are many reasons why some people are reluctant to get help for their mental health or addiction issues.

Sustainability is a word we hear quite a bit these days. In agriculture it translates in context to caring for the air, land and water to pass our farms onto the next generation to produce food and fiber for a global economy. Sustainability also translates into improving the efficiencies of agriculture in order to provide a profit to those involved in the industry in order to sustain their families and their livelihoods.

Do you always vacation at the same place? Would you like to explore new destinations but aren’t sure where to start? Let me help by asking a few questions to create your own travel bucket list and maybe find some new favorite places!

There are close families, and there are really close families. This is a story of the closest family I have had the honor of finding. 

At the outset, I did believe that it was wrong for President Biden to pardon his son, Hunter.  Not because of any hideous acts or because he refused to pay the back taxes he owed or to own up to gun charges.  He didn’t do any of this.  But the President did say he wouldn’t pardon him, ever.  Yet shouldn’t we fully understand his action?  To do this, it is necessary to look at all the efforts surfacing at this time that may have influenced his decision.

One of the great pleasures I have in my roles as the city manager is being involved in numerous community organizations.  One of the things I love most about Rochelle is the number of organizations and people who work tirelessly to better the situation of those around them.

With Christmas staring us in the headlights like a deer on the road I thought I’d share a couple of diddies to help get you in the mood. Enjoy!

As we close out 2024, it has been an exceptionally good year for Rochelle, with many events and happenings that will be enjoyed for many years.

I dealt with fear and anxiety for over 20 years and there are 21 facts that I discovered during my mental health struggles that can help anyone who struggles with fear and anxiety.

You can always expect the unexpected. The question is have you planned for it? Through the work of folks at Penn State University they have developed a workbook farmers can use for disaster preparedness and response of their farms. Here a look at how it can help.

The President has pardoned his son unconditionally despite several statements that he never would. This is an example of inversion of the truth (lying) despite claims of being truthful.  A presidential pardon expunges a conviction for a federal crime and wipes the slate clean. It represents legal forgiveness, restores the criminal’s right to vote or run for office, and ends any additional punishment related to the crime. This power to pardon criminals is delineated under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution. 

We can expect every winner of a presidential election to claim a mandate — a command from the American people to carry out his or her policies. Joe Biden believed so when he pushed a mass of liberal laws through Congress in 2021. Donald Trump likewise insists that he now embodies the will of the people.

Over 230,000 farms are up against a Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to file their detailed Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) with the Treasury Department under the requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Despite facing steep fines and possible jail time for failing to file, less than 11% of eligible businesses nationwide have filed their BOI. Efforts to protect small businesses from these invasive requirements and the harsh punishment for noncompliance have stalled in Congress. Let’s review what the Corporate Transparency Act means for farmers.

You're a dad.  You happen to also be a grandfather, maybe a great-grandfather.  Your wife had passed much too young and you have been on your own for a while.  The important people in your life are close. Not across the state line, nor across the country, nor even across the pond. Close enough to get together when the occasion arises. And in only a few minutes. This has been an important thing for several years now.

“A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but perhaps there is a key.” So said Winston Churchill in 1939. 

There are a lot of moms like me who had kids at a young age and then after an extended gap had more kids later in life.

The new administration faces many challenges to repair the damage to the country caused by the policies of the past administration. It is easy to spill milk, but it takes time to clean it up.  

Most folks when they think of agriculture see crops growing in a field or cows grazing in a pasture. But the industry is much more complex and represents economic effects that we don’t tend to see. Once the grain or the livestock leave the farm there is a tapestry of industries including transportation, processing, wholesale, retail, shipping etc. that are woven together to eventually put food on folks’ tables.

The average person takes advantage of the downtime during the holiday season. As long as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have been celebrated, most people seize the opportunity to unwind, indulge, and participate in holiday cheer, especially with alcohol.

November brings cold temperatures and changing leaves.  I am thankful for all of our wonderful library patrons, our staff, our board and our community. 

Among the four main branches of technology is communication technology. It is the phenomena that occurs when humans use tools, machines, knowledge, and resources to control their environment by sending and receiving messages to other humans, or more simply to another location.

A little less than two weeks ago, we held our elections.  Although some of those elected to their terms were not those I would have chosen, I am pleased that so many of us, who were registered, showed up at the polls.  In Ogle County, 76.6 percent, more than three quarters of those registered, voted.  Thank you for performing your civic duty to this great country of ours!

The Rochelle Lions Club would like to thank everyone who participated in our annual Candy Day.

Again we are grateful to Joe Rangel for honoring veterans at the Sunrise in Byron with the breakfast.

Last week Rep. Darin LaHood voted for HR 9495. This bill would give Trump and his Treasury Department sweeping authority to label U.S. Nonprofits as "terrorist-supporting organizations" with no oversight, due process, just unilateral power. (it’s in Section 4(B)) Political Targeting.